Core & Upper Body Tabata Workout for Runners

As runners we give our legs a solid workout every time we hit the pavement (trail/treadmills/track). Running works the quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and calves. Nice, toned legs are just one of the many benefits of running, but a toned upper body and core will only benefit our bodies and our running performance.

Featured Event

During a particularly hard and/or long run you might start to feel fatigued and your form may begin to suffer – slumping shoulders, twisting core, flailing arms. When this happens we lose a lot of efficiency in our stride. A strong upper body and core will help prevent this from happening.

In case you aren’t familiar, Tabata training is a type of high intensity interval training (HIIT) where you do an exercise with high intensity for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. One Tabata consists of 8 rounds, totaling a solid 4 minutes of work. You could do the same exercise for all 8 rounds or mix it up. In this workout each Tabata circuit contains 4 exercises that you will do twice within the circuit.

There is a total of 3 Tabata circuits: one that focuses on core, the next on upper body, and the final circuit is a little bit of both.

This core & upper body Tabata workout will only take you 14 minutes to complete and all you need is a mat and a timer to do it. You can squeeze it in before getting ready for work or even before heading out to happy hour. Tack it on to the end of a run for a very solid workout.

Stay focused, work hard, and have fun!

The Workout

Exercise Cues

Plank Knee-to-Elbow

Start in a plank position with hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Keeping your core tight and your body steady, bring your right knee to the outside of your right elbow. Return to plank. Bring your left knee to your left elbow and return to plank. Continue for 20 seconds.

Bicycle Crunches

Lie on your back on top of a mat with your hands placed lightly under your head and your knees raised above your hips (thighs perpendicular to the ground, shins parallel to the ground). As you bring your right knee closer to your head, crunch and twist so that your left elbow touches your right knee. Continue the bicycle pedaling motion while you alternate touching your elbows to the opposite knee. Continue for 20 seconds.

V-Ups

Lie on your back on top of a mat with your hands stretched above your head. Bracing your core, raise your legs in the air to a 45-degree angle and at the same time raise your upper body and bring your arms up over your head to reach towards your legs. Your body should form a “V”. Lower legs and upper body back down to the mat. Continue for 20 seconds.

Flutter Kicks

Lie on your back on top of a mat with your arms resting at your sides. Keeping your lower back pressed into the mat, lift your heels about 6 inches off of the ground. With small, rapid motions kick your legs up and down for 20 seconds.

Plank Up/Downs

Start in a plank position with hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower down into forearm plank, first bringing your right forearm to the ground, then your left forearm. Next press back up into plank position, first with your right hand, then with your left. On the next rep lead with your left side. Continue for 20 seconds.

Low Pushup Hold

Start in a plank position with hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower down until your body is a few inches above the ground. Hold for 20 seconds.

Pike Pushups

Start in a plank position with hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Raise your hips up and walk your toes in towards your arms so that your body forms and upside down “v”. This is starting position. Keeping your legs straight, bend at your elbows and lower your upper body until your head is about to touch the ground. Push yourself back up to starting position.

Pushup to Side Plank

Start in a plank position with hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower down into a push-up. As your raise your body back up, rotate your body to the right side so that you are in a side plank with your right arm extended in the air. Return to plank position. Continue push ups, alternating between a right and left side plank. Continue for 20 seconds.

Side Plank with Rotation (left)

Lie on your left side with your feet stacked on top of each other. Prop yourself up on your left hand (or elbow, if needed), making sure it is directly below your left shoulder. Your body should be in a straight line from your right shoulder to your feet. Raise your right arm straight up above your shoulder. This is starting position. Keeping your hips elevated, bring your right arm down below your body while twisting your torso so that your chest is parallel to the floor. Return back to starting position. Continue for 20 seconds.

Side Plank with Rotation (right)

Same as above, but on the opposite side.

Dolphin Pushups

Begin in forearm plank position with elbows directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Raise your hips up and walk your toes in towards your arms so that your body forms and upside down “v”. This is starting position. Move your hips down and your torso forward so that your face lines up with your hands and your shoulders are a little ahead of your elbows (almost like you are in a forearm plank, but shifted a little forward). Use your core to raise your hips back up to starting position. Continue for 20 seconds.

Featured Event

Fun Fact: The Tabata training method is named after Dr Izumi Tabata, which is why “Tabata” is always capitalized.

Jenna Duesterhoeft

Jenna is a demand planner for noosa yoghurt in Denver, CO as well as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. She loves anything food and fitness related and strives to maintain a healthy, balanced (sometimes indulgent) lifestyle. Check out her recipes and workouts over at Just J.Faye!

Related Posts

Perhaps it’s a scratchy throat that signals you’ve caught a bug. Or maybe a pounding headache is your first clue that something’s not quite right. Whatever it is that indicates you’re starting to get sick, it’s never a welcome sign. As people who tend to be goal-oriented, we runners are understandably frustrated when we come down with something. Taking a sick day can throw off your racing plans. On the other hand, trying to train when facing a serious illness can leave you even worse off. Deciding between running and resting is tricky. How do you know if you’re really too sick to run? While every scenario is slightly different, there are some clear signs that indicate it’s time to take a break. Here are 5 signs you’re too sick to run.

In 2017 Minneapolis Running chronicled the Breaking B.Q. attempt for four runners attempting to qualify for Boston. For myself, it did not go well missing my 3:10 goal at both Grandma’s and Twin Cities marathons. After my 2017 B.Q. attempt, I knew I wasn’t done. Here’s how I BQed on my third attempt at the Chicago Marathon.

In this guest post, we share five main elements of fitness and 55 useful gym exercises you can implement in your workouts to make them more fun. By diversifying your workouts, every day can turn into a surprise – both for your mind and for your body. Furthermore, if you do the same routines repeatedly, your body gets used to them and chances are your fitness levels will eventually plateau – in other words, your gains will stop!

Not A Minneapolis Running Subscriber?

Signup for our newsletter and get the most useful running info sent to you when and how you need it. We’ll also send you a FREE Marathon Training Plan!